


Politics and Vampires

by Nui (Nuiihren)



Series: Curse of Strahd Shorts Collection [5]
Category: Curse of Strahd - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27859741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nuiihren/pseuds/Nui
Summary: Staying in Strahd's favour and navigating his moods is a tricky business, even for someone like Fiona Wachter. And courts are always full of intrigue... after all, what are bored vampires left to do but scheme?
Series: Curse of Strahd Shorts Collection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031067
Kudos: 5





	Politics and Vampires

**Author's Note:**

> Ludmila in our campaign is genderbent to Ludmil (and a Vistani)

“Oh Fiona, dear, I was so sorry... no! Devastated to hear about poor Nikolaj!” Anastrasya exclaimed in pointedly fake distress. “Truly, the best of us are always gone too soon!”

“No wonder you’ll be living forever, then,” Fiona laughed, patting her on the arm.

Her _friend_ answered with high-pitched laughter. She looked so lovely in her silk taffeta gown of extravagant crimson, curls of golden hair streaming down her back, pale skin smooth and unblemished. So lovely and so dead, Fiona couldn’t help but marvel.

“Yes, yes, as they say, no rest for the wicked! But be careful what you’re implying, dearest. After all, I’m not the only immortal in the room.”

From his seat in the large throne-like armchair Strahd chuckled, letting his subjects know he took it all in good fun. An important piece of information at any time one was in his presence. He’d already expressed his condolences at dinner, with a lot more grace than Anastrasya, but, Fiona suspected, not with much more sincerity. The choice she made all those years ago still hung between them, never spoken of, but not forgotten. Not that it mattered: The fact that he even chose to invite her to the castle for such an occasion was more than enough. It wasn’t an honour he granted often and having so much of his undivided attention to oneself always felt lavish, indulgent even. As he smiled ever so slightly, speaking in his pleasantly deep voice, dark eyes fixed on her, a part of Fiona still wanted to giggle like a little girl meeting her first crush. Another part felt like shrieking back and trembling in fear. Both instincts were as stupid as they were natural before him, and so over the years she’d learned to note and examine them with an almost scientific curiosity. Yes, there it was - the way he made most people feel.

Fiona remembered too well the first time she met him, back when she was a girl of no more than ten. He came to visit her parents, disguised, of course, with his Vistani companion who she later learned was Ludmil - two dashing young men on their thoroughbred horses. He sat in their salon, not unlike the way she was now sitting in his, leisurely leaning on the armrest of her father’s favourite chair, and her parents scrambled to meet his every need, both of their voices an octave higher than usual. Fiona was equally mystified and fascinated by the entire spectacle - her parents, ever so dignified and cold, never scrambled, were never cowed by anyone. She watched them in stunned silence, until Ludmil who was stalking around the room in boredom, examining every painting and piece of decoration, noticed her.

“You know,” he said with a wink, “I’m friends with your great-aunt. A beautiful woman! You have her eyes. She lives up in the castle with us, maybe you can meet her someday.”

Fiona never got the chance. By the time she got to come to Ravenloft, maybe a decade later, her relative was gone. A first indication that vampires, after all, did not live forever. 

Except for him. But, of course, he was more of a god than anything else.

“I do hope your children can give you all the solace you need in these trying times,” Anastrasya was prattling on in the meantime. “Or if not them, then at least your cats! That’s what they’re for, aren’t they?”

“I can always find something to occupy myself with, Nastya, you know me.”

“Of course, if I were you I’d find myself a new man, but, understandably, that might be hard for you at this point…” she batted her perfect long eyelashes in such a pretty show of innocence, Fiona felt a sudden urge to rip them right out. 

Strahd was listening in silence with a mystifying half-smile, an almost empty glass of blood in his hand.

“You are right, I shall miss my husband too much to replace him this easily, my dear,” Fiona said, “although I am surprised that’s something you understand.”

“It might be good to find yourself a new distraction,” Strahd interjected, before Anastrasya could anwer. “I’ve long held the opinion that you’d feel right at home in politics.”

Fiona looked at him thoughtfully. She should have expected this visit to be not just about courtesy. 

“More so than our delusional Baron, I’m sure,” she agreed.

Anastrasya murmured something about a low bar, just loudly enough for her to hear. 

“The man is amusing, I grant it, but as you know, Fiona, sometimes I bore easily,” he gave her a rueful little smile, “and I’ve been watching his theatre of absurdity for just about long enough.”

There was an allure to his proposal, Fiona couldn’t deny it. Highly flattering, too. In the back of her mind rose that part that instinctively wanted to please him - such an easy motivator, yet not a good base for decision making.

“I will think about it, my lord,” she nodded. “It’s an honour to be considered for such a position.”

“It is,” he said in a perfectly even voice, leaving her to wonder if it displeased him that she hadn’t agreed right away.

“If it should happen,” Fiona continued with caution, “I would prefer the transition of power to happen smoothly. Without unnecessary commotion.”

“That’s how I always prefer it too,” he agreed again. “Do you have something in mind?”

“I… as I said, I will have to think about it, my lord.”

“I’m sure, you have some ideas already. If not, I, of course, can come up with some of my own.”

He was watching her closely, head slightly cocked to the side. Can you rise to the challenge? he seemed to say. 

“Well...” she frowned. “Vallakovich has a son about the same age as my Stella. We could marry them, unite the families, establish legitimacy and then silently take care of the Baron. Of course, I still have a lot to consider...”

“A fine plan,” Strahd smiled, raising his glass: “So we are in agreement. To the future burgomaster of Vallaki!”

 _However did I manage to decline his offer of making me a vampire?_ Fiona wondered silently, as she sipped her wine, a perfect mix of pride and annoyance on her tongue.


End file.
